Hindus in doorless Indian village rest assured thieves won't come a knockin'
Devotees flock to see the community said to be protected by the deity Shani.
A family gathers outside their doorless home in the village of Shani Shignapur in Ahmednagar District, in the western state of Maharashtra |
In Shani Shingnapur village in western India, residents see little
need for such security, thanks to their belief in special protection
from the Hindu deity Shani.
As farmers trundle the roads in bullock carts piled high with
sugarcane, they pass rows of homes bearing empty door frames — a village
tradition that goes back for generations.
"Years ago, Shani came in the dreams of devotees and told them you
don't need to put any doors on your homes," said housewife Jayashree
Gade.
"He said: 'I will protect you'. That's why we don't have any doors."
According to legend, an iron and stone slab washed up in a nearby
river during a flood more than 300 years ago, and began oozing blood
when cattle herders poked it with a stick.
In a vision to a villager later that night, the slab was revealed
to be an idol of Shani, and today it stands in an open square adorned
with garlands of flowers, drawing crowds of pilgrims.
Shani, who is believed to be manifested in the planet Saturn, is
considered so mighty that his shrine cannot be kept under a shelter —
and he will not let thieves in the village of open homes go unpunished.
"The power of Shani is such that if someone steals, he will keep
walking all night and think he has left the village, but when the sun
comes up he will still be there," said mill worker Balasaheb Borude.
Some villagers said they put loose panels against their doorframes at night, but only to keep out wild animals.
Similarly, the local branch of state-owned UCO Bank prides itself
on its "lockless" status. Although money is kept in a strongroom, the
front of the building has just a glass door with no lock, to avert stray
dogs.
"We have no trouble," said bank official Nagender Sehrawat,
gesturing to the queue of customers when asked if they were happy with
the arrangement.
Devotees pouring in
Today the center of the village, which lies in Maharashtra state,
has the feel of bustling small town, with stalls lining the dusty main
road selling souvenirs and flowers to religious tourists.
Home to about 5,000 people, Shani Shingnapur rose to fame across
the country after appearing in a devotional Hindi film about its deity
in the '90s.
"The whole world got to know that there is a place called Shani
Shingnapur, where houses have no doors, there are trees but no shadows,
there are gods but no temples," said Sayaram Bankar, a trustee at the
shrine.
"Devotees from across the state and across India started pouring in to see this unusual village."
Shani Shingnapur's reputation has been somewhat dented in recent
years by reports of a few thefts. In 2010, a visitor from northern India
complained that cash and valuables worth 35,000 rupees (US$553) were
taken from a vehicle. Bankar dismissed reports of stealing, saying it
only happened outside the village.
Sceptics of the Shani legend remain unconvinced by the area's appeal.
"When you have a place in the middle of nowhere where no one goes
and you have a legend like that — then people will go there," said
Narendra Nayak, a leading Indian rationalist who works to expose
fraudulent gurus and challenge superstitions.
According to a pamphlet handed out at the shrine, Shani Shingnapur
is not just free from theft but from all sinful behavior, a "model
village" in contrast to the corrupt outside world.
"Professional robbers, thieves, dacoits, non-vegetarians,
drunkards, never come here," the pamphlet confidently stated. "If they
come, they behave like gentlemen."
As for doors, a few have popped up over the years, but villagers
were sure their tradition would continue — much to the envy of visiting
devotees.
"This is something special about this god. He is a guardian of this
place," said Amit Sharma, a hotel manager, after paying his respects at
the shrine.
Source: AFP/UCAN
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